Tribute albums are always
tricky – let alone ones that rely on old Rock ‘n’ Roll and Rhythm ‘n’ Blues
tunes as its backbeat. Yet Bill Wyman’s 1985 fund-raiser LP for a terminally
ill Ronnie Lane (of Small Faces, Faces and Slim Chance fame) works because its
fun and doesn’t let the big name celebrities swamp proceedings - but add to
them in a very real way.

Taking its name from a
schoolyard nickname and an LP by his favourite American band (1969's "Willy And The
Poor Boys" by Creedence Clearwater Revival) – Rolling Stones Bassist BILL
WYMAN gathered together a formidable array of big musical names to record an
album of favourites that would benefit ARMS (Action For Research Into Multiple
Sclerosis). His core band consisted of Andy Fairweather Low on Guitar and
Vocals, Mickey Gee of Love Sculpture and Joe Cocker’s Grease Band on Lead
Guitar, his Rhythm Kings Rock ‘n’ Roll Pianist Geraint Watkins, Charlie Watts
of The Rolling Stones on Drums, himself on Bass and the Horn Section (on some
tracks) brought up by Willie Garnett and Steve Gregory. Inbetween we get guest
appearances by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin on Guitar, Paul Rodgers of Free on
Lead Vocals, drummers Terry Williams of Brinsley Schwarz and Henry Spinetti of
The Herd and Climax Blues Band, Ray Cooper of Elton John’s Band on Percussion
and one appearance of Ronnie’s old band mate Kenney Jones of The Who and Small
Faces on Drums (“Sugar Bee”).

The UK LP appeared in May
1985 on Decca/Ripple BILL 1, the 30-minute film/video at Fulham Town Hall came
also in 1985 with a further Willy And The Poor Boys ‘Live’ set in 1994
(recorded in Sweden in 1992 – known as “Tear It Up’ in the USA). This is the
first time that all 3 have been brought together in one remastered package –
and a thoroughly enjoyable Rock ‘n’ Roll romp it makes too. Here are the rowdy details...

UK released 7 August 2015 – “The
Complete Willy And The Poor Boys” on Edsel EDSG 8062 (Barcode 740155806231) is
a 2CD/1DVD Digipak Set and pans out as follows:

CD 1 (36:35 minutes):

1. Baby Please Don’t Go [Big
Joe Williams cover]

Features Chris Rea on Lead
Vocals

2. Can You Hear Me [Allen
Toussaint song/Lee Dorsey cover]

Features Andy Fairweather
Low on Lead Vocals

3. These Arms Of Mine [Otis
Redding cover]

Features Paul Rodgers of
Free and bad Company on Lead Vocals with Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin on Guitars

4. Revenue Man (White
Lightning) [Big Bopper cover]

Features Andy Fairweather
Low on Lead Vocals

5. You Never Can Tell [Chuck
Berry cover]

Features Bill Wyman on Lead
Vocals

6. Slippin’ And Slidin’
[Little Richard cover]

Features Paul Rodgers of
Free and bad Company on Lead Vocals with Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin on Guitars

The chunky gatefold digipak
is a four-flap foldout affair festooned with photos of the band dressed up as
Mods and Rockers with a fact-filled 20-page booklet sporting detailed liner
notes by DAVID WELLS. Scans and photos come from the Bill Wyman archives, Val
Jennings co-ordinated the project and the mastering was done by PHIL KINRADE at
Alchemy Mastering. Both CDs sound great – full of vim and vigour – but then so
did the original recordings.

It opens with the guttural
vocals of Chris Rea laying into “Baby Please Don’t Go” and the album immediately
states its Rock ‘n’ Roll and Boogie Woogie credentials – we’re here to party
and have some fun. The track choices are clever too – avoiding the huge songs
of the genre and favouring forgotten nuggets like Lee Dorsey’s “Can You Hear
Me” and the Bip Bopper’s “Revenue Man”. The production is old school – full of
warmth and a little echo or sloppiness on those guitar parts to give a more
natural feel. Paul Rodgers and Jimmy Page have a Soulful Rock go at Otis
Redding’s “These Arms Of Mine” – what a great voice he has – Page’s guitar way
back in the mix as the Piano and Brass take centre stage. On the two tracks
that Wyman sings (Chuck Berry’s wonderful “You Never Can Tell” and Clifton
Chenier’s “All Night Long”) - he’s actually similar to Wilko Johnson in his
nasal delivery and in some respects is better than Low or Watkins at the mike
(though both exude their love for the music).

Rodgers and Page return for
a raucous version of Little Richard’s “Slippin’ & Slidin’” but its actually
the piano playing of Watkins that you notice. “Sugar Bee” and their own “Poor
Boy Boogie” finish off proceedings in suitable style.

If the retro album was good
– the live set saw the project explode into life in front of a small but wildly
enthusiastic audience. Procol Harum’s Gary Brooker comes out on lead vocals and
tears up the piano too on the Jerry Lee Lewis classic “High School
Confidential”. They really start to cook on “Tear It Up” with all the vocals
working and that great Rock ‘n’ Roll vibe seeping into the room. It also sounds
brilliant – professionally recorded too. The wicked duo guitar opening to “Baby
Please Don’t Go” is fantastic and how good is to hear anyone do Elvis’ “Mystery
Train”. By the time it gets to “Red Hot” and the rollicking medleys that finish
the Tim Young mastered disc – its job done.

Eagle-eyed collectors will
note that the DVD sees the first time members of The Rolling Stones, The
Beatles and The Who have played/joined together for a film project (it was
filmed 11 and 12 March at the Fulham Town Hall in London). Smartly its also
Region Free.To sum up – the album by
itself would be a solid 4-stars, but the Live CD and the Guest Heavy DVD give
it a huge boost. Well done to all at Edsel for doing such a great job...

SOME OF MY E-BOOKS FOR SALE on AMAZON

About Me

To date I've over 3500 posts/reviews and 80+ Listmania Lists on Amazon UK - most are for quality music CD REMASTERS and FILMS on BLU RAY.

I'm a Top 15 Reviewer on Amazon UK and have been a 'Hall Of Fame' Reviewer for some years now...

They feature recommendations from years of trawling through digipaks and flicks. I tend to highlight reissues and remasters that have slipped through the net and movies on DVD and BLU RAY that deserve your attention/reappraisal.

My music reviews are in-depth - focusing on decent remasters - interesting imports - rarities - info that helps a purchase decision etc. And I often provide a Discography for Box Sets and multiples and detailed track lists for reissues.

Loved the awesome re-issues of Steve McQueen by PREFAB SPROUT and Strangers Almanac by WHISKEYTOWN [with Ryan Adams]. The three definitive Bear Family Series - Street Corner Symphonies (1934 to 1958 Vocal Groups), Blowing The Fuse (1945 to 1960 R'n'B - most reviewed) and Sweet Soul Music (1961 to 1975 - all 15 reviewed).

Check out the beautiful Scottish Folk of Black Water by KRIS DREVER (2006) and the Sahara rocking beat of TINARIWEN'S Aman Iman - Water Is Life. 2011 saw Jethro Tull's Aqualung receive a stunning makeover by Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree and 2012 has Just As I Am by Bill Withers be given a top remaster by Big Break Records of the UK. Loving the 2013 Japanese SHM-CD reissues of J.J. Cale and the 2012 to 2015 Japan-Only Atlantic 1000: Best R&B Collection (see Joe Turner reviews). Small Faces Here Come The Nice and The Blue Nile's Hats & Peace At Last Deluxe Editions for 2014. Digging Edsel's 4CD Box Sets For The Beat and The Sound - superb. Edsel's Wilson Pickett and Percy Sledge CD Reissues from late 2016 are also superb.

Films - The Help, Lincoln, The Bands Visit, Man On A Ledge, The Grey, Mr. Nobody, Third Star, Caramel, Easy-A, Crash, United 93, The Insider, Death To Smoochy, Babel, Kinsey, Bright Star, Stranger Than Fiction, Imagine Me & You, The Namesake, After The Wedding, Seraphim Falls, Michael Clayton, Frankie Go Boom, Infamous, Gran Torino, The Blind Side, Invictus, Crazy Heart, Ondine, Amelie, Four Lions, Young Victoria, Untouchable, Jo Nesbo's Headhunters and The Secret In Their Eyes are what's most impressed in the last while. The Shawshank Redemption is for me the greatest film ever made, Cinema Paradiso the most beautiful and Nil By Mouth the most powerful.

I've also raved about gorgeous new restorations of The Italian Job, Goldfinger, African Queen, Back To The Future, O Brother Where Art Thou?, North By Northwest, To Catch A Thief, To Kill A Mockingbird and The Sting on Blu Ray - can't recommend these enough.

I'm Irish (originally from Dublin) and married with 3 grown-up kids - one of which has autism (The Beautiful Dean).

I was a vinyl rarities buyer and put-upon expert in Reckless Records (Soho, London) for over 20 years and have contributed to many of the Record Collector Rare Record Price Guides.

Currently freelance writer/reviewer. Have written four screenplays - "The Cloths Of Heaven", "Silas", "An English Lady - The Eglantyne Jebb Story" and "Full Of Grace" which I'll discuss with Film Industry Insiders.